298 THE KSSKX FIELD CI.IJB. 



Prof. Meldola said that the Club was greatly indebted to Mr. Howard for 

 his able assistance during so many years and for his regular attendance at 

 the Council meetings during the critical period of the Club's life. The sub- 

 ject of their President's remarks that evening was an excellent example of the 

 usefulness of studies often ignorantly termed "useless knowledge." What 

 promises to be a most important agency in the control of a scourge very 

 seriously affecting the nation's imperial interests, is a direct outcome of the 

 "trivial" studies of entomologists and microscopists of the life-histories of 

 such despised little creatures as gnats and midges 



Prof. Meldola also expressed the gratitude of the Club to Mr. W. C. 

 Waller for his services as Treasurer and Librarian, and to the other officers 

 of the Club. 



Special allusion was also made to the valuable work of the Auditors, Mr. 

 Walter Crouch and Mr. J. D. Cooper. 



The President thanked Prof. Meldola and the members for their appre- 

 ciation of his services, and Mr. W. C. Waller returned thanks for the officers. 



The company then adjourned to the Tea Room, and at seyen o'clock the 

 198TH Ordinary Meeting was held, the President in tlie chair, and after- 

 wards Prof. Meldola, V.P. 



The following were elected members of the Club:— Mr. Archie E. 

 Barnard, Mr. Fred. J. Brand, and Mr. J. R. Roberts, J.P , E.C.C. 



Prof. Meldola exhibited a specimen of Vanessa antiopa (the " Camberwell- 

 Beauty Butterfly ") caught at Bigods near Dunmow, by Mr. G. Ruffel, one of 

 the boys at the Countess of Warwick's School. Mr. Ruffel stated that he 

 saw another specimen on the same day, but failed to catch it. 



Mr. J. P. Johnson exhibited some fossil remains of Sharks, &c., from 

 British Cretaceous and Eocene strata, and also many of the specimens from 

 Walton-Naze referred to in his paper read later in the evening. Mr. John- 

 son stated that he would have pleasure in depositing the Walton specimens in 

 the Essex Museum of Natural History. 



With reference to the first paper on the agenda, entitled " On the varia- 

 tion of the Marine Animals on the coast of Essex during the last ten or twelve 

 years," the Secretary stated that Dr. Sorby desired to hold the paper back 

 for a few months. Dr. Sorby had recently examined his specimens at 

 Sheffield, and found so much to add to the paper, that he thought it best to 

 thoroughly revise it, before reading it before the Club. 



Mr. J. P. Johnson read a paper entitled "Notes on the Eocene F"lora 

 and Fauna of Walton-Naze, Essex." This paper is printed in the present 

 part of the Essex Naturalist, 



